Session 50 - "To Me, My Gnome!"
8th July 2022 - 19:45 - 11:30
In-game timeline: Start of session: 1489DR Nightal 2. End of session: 1489DR Nightal 3
Our "Heroes" are exhausted from their trek across the swamp, Jaxii literally. They have arrived at what they think is the ruins of An-Sen, but think it is wise to rest before attempting to enter, or even approach, the ruins.
Owl Pacino is in his element - flying around at dusk checking out what is around. After a short period of scouting, her returns to report that there are some "scaled creatures" that are within the four large towers at the edges of the ruins. Some debate ensued about whether these were Dragonborn, snakes, lizards or even dragons!
As night falls, Iwee spots a light coming from one of the large towers, confirming what Pacino reported.
The party rest for the night - not exactly relaxing, but enough to rid Jaxii of some of her exhaustion, and quiet enough for everyone to gain some healing, though Derrick and Iwee seem to have some strange dreams - unsurprising, perhaps, given the day in the swamp they have just had.
They all arise at dawn and formulate a plan for "storming the ruins". Iwee and Pacino are sent to the ruins, both invisible, to check them out. Iwee spots some of the guards, which seem to be more lizardlike than dragonlike, including more of them in the inner buildings. Pacino checks out a couple of tunnels in the base of the cliffs - one seems to become too narrow to pass while the other seems to contain a creature "with teeth" that Pacino narrowly avoids being eaten by. Meanwhile Iwee is almost spotted by some of the guards, but manages to get away without revealing her presence.
Hours later, after more planning, Iwee creates the illusion of a fire on the wooden part of the bridge. This seems to be spotted by the guards, and they come running towards the fake fire with buckets. The illusion falters a little, and they spot it is not real, and start to switch to their weapons, though it gives the party time to get a few attacks in, and it also succeeds in spreading out the incoming guards - who all appear to be lizardfolk armed with spiked shields and morningstars.
With Iwee staying invisible and using her talents to buff the fighters and later to shatter and slow the guards, Jaxii and Derrick rush forward to face them, and Karoshi lines up some of the incoming guards to fire off a massive lightning bolt from Smite.
The guards are picked off one by one, but not before they inflict damage themselves - primarily to Derrick, but also some to Jaxii, who uses one of her rages to help absorb some of the damage. Derrick. Seemingly inspired by his dream, decides to appear imposing by walking through the (fake) fire, and commanding the guards to bow to him. They don't. When Iwee appears from her invisibility, Derrick tries to pretend he had summoned her. The guards are not convinced and continue to smash him with their shields and weapons. Derrick is not deterred and continues to attempt to persuade them of his power and divinity despite blood flowing out of his many wounds.
Eventually the party dispose of these guards, though they had also spotted a couple of other guards, and a less armoured lizardman running out of other buildings and using the ruins as cover. This group ran out of sight, but the party are sure they are coming…